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Title: Collision Course
Author: Zoe Archer
Publication Info: Carina Press 2011
ISBN: 978-1426891458
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy
Collision Course is my new favorite one-night stand of romance novels, and it was just the thing to see my through a very stressful week which culminated in Dear Daughter catching the flu. This is not a book that is likely to inspire anyone with deep thoughts about life, but for pure escapism you just can’t do better than this. Many thanks to Zoë Archer for transporting me to the outer regions of space in between earthly crisis!
I was so excited to read Collision Course that I lost my eBook virginity to it (it’s only available digitally), and although reading a book on my laptop is not my favorite way to read, it was still loads of fun. What really impressed me is that even though the novel is basically a collection of tropes, Archer is able to render them so vividly and playfully, and take just enough liberties with them, that the book feels reasonably fresh. We have the hot smuggler chick, the alpha military guy, spaceships, badass smuggler bars, intrigue, and tons of hot sex. All that’s missing is a chatty robot. Archer packs a surprising amount of detailed world-building and nuanced character development into a scant 137 pages, and when characters aren’t making out, they are flying through space storms, so there’s always a ton of exciting stuff going on.
The plot is that trusty standby – individual on the shady side of the law has to help a squeaky clean cop with a rescue mission. In this case, the shady lady is Mara, a hotshot smuggler pilot. Mara is inveigled into helping Kell, a hotshot 8th Wing pilot, rescue Lieutenant Jur from the clutches of PRAXIS. We can tell PRAXIS is an evil organization, because its name consists of all capital letters. Lt. Jur is being held somewhere within the Smoke Quadrant, an area of space that Mara is familiar with while 8th Wing is not – hence the need for her to launch a rescue. Lt. Jur was flying a super nifty spaceship that will also need to be returned to 8th Wing, and which only Kell can pilot (if Jur is dead or otherwise incapacitated), hence the need for Mara to accept the presence of a partner despite her habit of only flying (and living) alone. Much delightful mayhem ensues as our intrepid pair travels together in a spaceship built for one, engages in great feats of piloting, gets all dressed up (and down) for a tour through Smugglerville (that’s not what it’s called, but it ought to be), and battles against all odds to rescue Jur. Also, they make out a lot.
I was really impressed with how much depth Archer was able to stuff into this novel). Both main characters are given enough back-story that their behavior makes sense and they seem like actual people, albeit highly exotic and unusual people. Even though the story consists of one trope after another, a lot of those tropes are tweaked. Yes, Kell is all alpha and growly (literally – he growls). He wants to protect Mara, who is amazed and touched by his protectiveness. But, Mara wants to protect him too, and Kell is equally touched. I thought Mara got a bit girly, and it bugged me that Kell kept giving her driving advice. But, I liked the fact that Mara is quite comfy with her sexuality and has had great sex before. It’s always nice to encounter a non-virgin heroine, although that’s slightly subverted by the fact that her past sex life has consisted of casual encounters and not long term love affairs, whereas Kell has had at least one prior meaningful relationship (or so the reader may infer). The dialogue was great – Kell and Mara have a very natural awkwardness early on, along with funny repartee and a refreshing ability to actually communicate. And then we have this, just before our dashing duo finally gets it on:
““All 8th Wing get the Xalina vaccine”
Which meant that he couldn’t carry or transmit any of the social diseases that once plagued soldiers.
“And I have the Tarawet chip implant”. No children for her, thank you very much.”
OK. First of all, thank you, Zoë, for having a couple frankly discuss birth control and disease prevention. Second of all, I totally snorted tea out of my nose. I don’t think that conversation was supposed to be funny, but I laughed in the deranged way that only the sleep-deprived mother of a child with the flu can. Was that totally awkward writing, or have I just turned into a thirteen-year-old boy? Also, why doesn’t Mara care about preventing diseases? Even if it’s only available to the military, you’d think she’d try to get it somehow. If I happened to be a sexually active smuggler, and I knew the military had such a vaccine, it’s the very first thing I would smuggle.
In conclusion, if you are new to romance, or if you are new to science fiction, this probably won’t be the book to win you over to either genre. But, if you want to have a great time with some familiar tropes that are vividly and freshly drawn, then you will have a wonderful time reading Collision Course even though you might not remember it in the morning. I can’t say that this book stuck in my head in a life-changing kind of way, but I had fun, I cared about the characters, and I felt like I could inhabit their richly portrayed world. I wanted the book to be longer and more (pardon me) fleshed out, and I want Jur to have a sequel. Go, Lt. Jur!
Collision Course is available as a digital book from Amazon: Kindle, from the Carina Press store, AllRomance and BN.com.
Thanks for the review, although I skimmed it since this book is in my TBR pile and I’m hoping to get to it very soon. One aspect I really love about science fiction romance is all the extraordinary heroines in the subgenre. Love me some heroine smuggler pilots!
I’ll have to add this to my list. Thanks!
There is nothing like some good old escapism. I think sci fi/space opera was one of the first places where women were allowed some action and didn’t have to stand back & be rescued.(I hated those books, come on she may not have muscles but she has a brain.)
Thanks for the rec-just downloaded it.
Thanks for the review – I like romance AND science fiction as well as my iPad so this will be a good fit! 😀
I also learned a new word today: inveigled. From dictionary.com: to entice, lure, or ensnare by flattery or artful talk or inducements.
Good to know.
Now let’s see if I can’t inveigle my husband into doing the dishes….
Thanks for reviewing science fiction romance! [though I’m not sure that the lack of a chatty robot is actually a bad thing . . .]
I’m not particularly into science fiction, but this sounds like a fun read (and I did enjoy Archer’s Blades of the Rose series). I have two sick kids on my hands so I could definitely use the escape. Thanks for the review. 🙂
And, yes, it is good to discuss disease state and contraception with a potential partner (though that is how DH and I ended up getting married by mistake 30 years ago). I tell my teen patients, “If you don’t know this person well enough to discuss condoms, you don’t know them well enough to have sex.”
@Vicki – oh, I agree totally, and normally I love it in a romance when they have The Talk, but for some reason this one seemed just awkward. I admired the attempt, though.
“trope” is definitely word of the week, if not of the month on SBTB. This note may even be the ‘over-used trope’ trope. That website of overused tropes in TV writing covers just about every grouping of two or more words.
Totally great review, which makes me add this to my TBB pile.
@Vicki-Now we need to hear the story!
For the historically curious – I recall reading that during the early years of the very repressive and aggressively Catholic dictatorship of Francisco Franco in Spain smugglers who went between France and Spain over the Pyrenees specialized in food, cigarettes (which could be used as currency)…and condoms. Easy to smuggle and high demand. So you’re dead right. (If you’re interested, there’s a book called something like “La guerra en el Pirineo; maquis, espias, y contrabandistas” [War in the Pyrenees; Guerrillas, Smugglers and Spies]. I don’t have the exact reference because I’m not at home and can’t recall the title, but I’ll look it up.)
It has some interesting and even intriging moments.
HA! It’s true. If you fall into the clutches of the evil PRAXIS, you may find yourself forced to teach elementary school children how to take torturous standardized tests! Diabolical!
bookstorecat, I’m glad I’m not the only teacher in the bunch who snorted out loud at the name PRAXIS! In my case, it’s teaching high school students enough reading skills to pass a high school graduation exam, but same principle, right?
@Belle
Not a teacher myself, but I have been a sympathetic ear for several teaching friends. Both my parents were teachers as well—which is why I ended up doing something else. O the horror stories! And that is why I salute you, and all teachers everywhere—Happy (Early) National Teacher Appreciation Day*! Have some cake. You deserve it.
*May 3rd this year.
Is it me or does this book’s review not remind you of Linnea Sinclair’s Games of Command. Hero was military (Kel-Paten), heroine was rebel/smuggler hotshot pilot, she has “experience” while he doesn’t.
PRAXIS in the UK is a charity that provides advice and support services to migrants and refugees. While PRAXIS NI is the largest mental health charity in Northern Ireland (who my cousin works for btw!!)